OCC-1D regulates Wnt signaling pathway: potential role of long noncoding RNA in colorectal cancer

Molecular Biology Reports - Aberrant activation of the Wnt signaling pathway is observed in most colorectal cancers (CRC). OCC-1D is a splice variant of OCC-1 gene which is considered as a long...     

Protective effect of pioglitazone on morphine-induced neuroinflammation in the rat lumbar spinal cord

Background

Morphine-induced tolerance is associated with the spinal neuroinflammation. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of oral administration of the pioglitazone, the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) agonist, on the morphine-induced neuroinflammation in the lumbar region of the male Wistar rat spinal cord.

Results

Co-administration of the pioglitazone with morphine not only attenuated morphine-induced tolerance, but also prevented the up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1beta, and interleukin 6) and nuclear factor-kappa B activity. Administration of the GW-9662 antagonized the above mentioned effects of the pioglitazone.

Conclusions

It is concluded that oral administration of the pioglitazone attenuates morphine-induced tolerance and the neuroinflammation in the lumbar region of the rat spinal cord. This action of the pioglitazone may be, at least in part, due to an interaction with the spinal pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and the nuclear factor-kappa B activity.     

Evaluation of large scale quantitative proteomic assay development using peptide affinity-based mass spectrometry

Stable isotope standards and capture by antipeptide antibodies (SISCAPA) couples affinity enrichment of peptides with stable isotope dilution and detection by multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry to provide quantitative measurement of peptides as surrogates for their respective proteins. In this report, we describe a feasibility study to determine the success rate for production of suitable antibodies for SISCAPA assays in order to inform strategies for large-scale assay development. A workflow was designed that included a multiplex immunization strategy in which up to five proteotypic peptides from a single protein target were used to immunize individual rabbits. A total of 403 proteotypic tryptic peptides representing 89 protein targets were used as immunogens. Antipeptide antibody titers were measured by ELISA and 220 antipeptide antibodies representing 89 proteins were chosen for affinity purification. These antibodies were characterized with respect to their performance in SISCAPA-multiple reaction monitoring assays using trypsin-digested human plasma matrix. More than half of the assays generated were capable of detecting the target peptide at concentrations of less than 0.5 fmol/μl in human plasma, corresponding to protein concentrations of less than 100 ng/ml. The strategy of multiplexing five peptide immunogens was successful in generating a working assay for 100% of the targeted proteins in this evaluation study. These results indicate it is feasible for a single laboratory to develop hundreds of assays per year and allow planning for cost-effective generation of SISCAPA assays.     

Evolutionary hypothesis of telomere length in primary breast cancer and brain tumour patients: a tracer for genomic-tumour heterogeneity and instability

It was previously reported that tumour samples had shorter telomeres than the surrounding normal tissue. Hereby, the initial sign of correlation between malignant tissue and telomere behaviour could be noticed. Bridging knowledge between germ and somatic cells could facilitate understanding cellular evolution. The aim of our investigation was to provide evidence for the evolutionary hypothesis of TL (telomere length) in primary BC (breast cancer) and BTs (brain tumours), which might be applied as a prognostic and/or predictive marker. DNA extraction from the frozen tissues was performed using high pure PCR template preparation kit. Standard protocol of Telo TTAGGG Telomere Length Assay kit, a non‐radioactive chemiluminescent assay, was used. The protein expression in extracted cells was analysed by immunofluorescence. We also detected telomerase activity. The G/T (genomic/tumour ratio) for TL in two groups of patients affected with primary BC and primary BT revealed significant differences in both BC patients (P=0.025) and in BTs (P=0.001). The pattern of telomere signals by Q‐FISH (quantitative fluorescent in situ hybridization) show that in all samples, except one, SI (signal intensity) has been significantly decreased in tissue related to blood, either in BC patients or in patients with BTs (0.041≥P≥0.001). However, the data achieved by Q‐FISH support the results of Southern blot. These data reflect a significant diversity either in BC or in BT patients, providing evidence for the evolutionary hypothesis of TL in cancer development and progression.     

4-(3-Alkyl/benzyl-guanidino)benzenesulfonamides as selective carbonic anhydrase VII inhibitors

The treatment of chronic neuropathic pain remains one of the most challenging of all neurological diseases and very much an art. There exists no consensus for the optimal management of this condition at the moment. Gaining inspiration from recent studies which pointed out the involvement of brain-associated carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoform VII in the pathology of various neurodegenerative diseases, which highlighted the relationship between selective inhibition of this isozyme and relieve of neuropathic pain, herein we report the synthesis and CA VII inhibitory activity of novel 4-(3-alkyl/benzyl-guanidino)benzenesulfonamides. Ten benzyl-substituted and five alkyl-substituted 4-guanidinobenzenesulfonamide derivatives were obtained, some of which (7c, 7h, 7m and 7o) exhibited satisfactory selectivity towards CA VII over CA I and II, with K_I-s in the subnanomolar range and good selectivity indexes for inhibiting the target versus the off-target isoforms.     

Antibacterial activity and chemical composition of the essential oil of Grammosciadium platycarpum Boiss. from Iran

The chemical composition of the essential oils obtained from two samples (GP1 and GP2) of Grammosciadium platycarpum Boiss. was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The analysis of the oils resulted in the identification of twenty-two constituents. Linalool (79.0%-GP1, 81.8%-GP2) and limonene (10.0%, 5.8%) were found to be the major components, respectively. The in vitro antibacterial activities of these oils and their main compounds against seven Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were investigated. The results exhibited that the total oils and their major components possess strong to moderate activities against all the tested bacteria except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa.     

The role of optimal vortex formation in biological fluid transport

Animal phyla that require macro-scale fluid transport for functioning have repeatedly and often independently converged on the use of jet flows. During flow initiation these jets form fluid vortex rings, which facilitate mass transfer by stationary pumps (e.g. cardiac chambers) and momentum transfer by mobile systems (e.g. jet-propelled swimmers). Previous research has shown that vortex rings generated in the laboratory can be optimized for efficiency or thrust, based on the jet length-to-diameter ratio (L/D), with peak performance occurring at 3.5相似文献   

Experimental hut evaluation of bednets treated with an organophosphate (chlorpyrifos-methyl) or a pyrethroid (lambdacyhalothrin) alone and in combination against insecticide-resistant Anopheles gambiae and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes

Background

Pyrethroid resistant mosquitoes are becoming increasingly common in parts of Africa. It is important to identify alternative insecticides which, if necessary, could be used to replace or supplement the pyrethroids for use on treated nets. Certain compounds of an earlier generation of insecticides, the organophosphates may have potential as net treatments.

Methods

Comparative studies of chlorpyrifos-methyl (CM), an organophosphate with low mammalian toxicity, and lambdacyhalothrin (L), a pyrethroid, were conducted in experimental huts in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa. Anopheles gambiae and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes from the area are resistant to pyrethroids and organophosphates (kdr and insensitive acetylcholinesterase Ace.1 ^R ). Several treatments and application rates on intact or holed nets were evaluated, including single treatments, mixtures, and differential wall/ceiling treatments.

Results and Conclusion

All of the treatments were effective in reducing blood feeding from sleepers under the nets and in killing both species of mosquito, despite the presence of the kdr and Ace.1 ^R genes at high frequency. In most cases, the effects of the various treatments did not differ significantly. Five washes of the nets in soap solution did not reduce the impact of the insecticides on A. gambiae mortality, but did lead to an increase in blood feeding. The three combinations performed no differently from the single insecticide treatments, but the low dose mixture performed encouragingly well indicating that such combinations might be used for controlling insecticide resistant mosquitoes. Mortality of mosquitoes that carried both Ace.1 ^R and Ace.1 ^S genes did not differ significantly from mosquitoes that carried only Ace.1 ^S genes on any of the treated nets, indicating that the Ace.1 ^R allele does not confer effective resistance to chlorpyrifos-methyl under the realistic conditions of an experimental hut.     

Community structure and function in a H2-based membrane biofilm reactor capable of bioreduction of selenate and chromate

Two different H₂-based, denitrifying membrane-biofilm reactors (MBfRs) initially reduced Se(VI) or Cr(VI) stably to Se⁰ or Cr(III). When the oxidized contaminants in the influent were switched, each new oxidized contaminant was reduced immediately, and its reduction soon was approximately the same or greater than it had been in its original MBfR. The precipitation of reduced selenium and chromium in the biofilm was verified by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. These results on selenate and chromate reduction are consistent with the interpretation that the H₂-based biofilm community had a high level of functional diversity. The communities’ structures were assessed by cloning analysis. Dechloromonas spp., a known perchlorate-reducing bacteria, dominated the clones from both reactors during selenate and chromate reductions, which suggests that it may have functional diversity capable of reducing selenate and chromate as secondary and dissimilatory acceptors.